Sophie Châtellier Studio Visit

My name is Sophie Châtellier and I am a student in graphic design at the London College of Communication, currently studying for a Diploma in Professional Studies during my third of four years on the course. Last Friday I was invited by Lucy Brown, Pathway Leader for Graphic Design, to hold a workshop with second year Illustration students. I was really looking forward to it and also pretty excited, as this was my first time holding a typography workshop. The idea was to create typography from scratch, following a simple, yet very opulent, effective way of building up a project concept.

The workshop was divided in three parts, fairly dispersed in half a day. During the first part, which lasted one hour, the students were set mini-workshop of five minutes. They were given words and had five minutes to creatively respond to them, in any way they preferred. After one intense hour, all put their results on the wall, which became the images and ideas-filled library which the students could use to inspire their personal type design. When everyone had designed their alphabet, they were asked to use it and put it in a context.

In the end, what mattered was not the finished design. What mattered was the process of putting together a really vast, ecclectic and spontaneous base from which everyone could pick, combine and use different elements, in order to create something new and personal. It was a great experience for me- and hopefully for the students as well- if everyone enjoyed it half as much as me, I am already really happy!